Langdale Walking & Adventure Holidays

INTRODUCTION
Our base for a week of magnificent guided Alpine walking is the mountain resort of Wengen in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland, staying in the 4-star Sunstar Hotel located in the centre of Wengen. Departing from either Heathrow or Manchester, we fly to Zurich, and then travel by Swiss Rail to Wengen via Interlaken and Lauterbrunnen.

WENGEN (altitude 1274m) is a wonderful base for a walking holiday, as it is right in the middle of some of the most dramatic areas of the Swiss Alps. There are no roads leading to Wengen and the only access is by mountain railway from Lauterbrunnen. The village has virtually no cars and enjoys a healthy, stimulating climate.

Walking Programme
Our Alpine guide, Urs Kaderli of Wengen-based Kaderli Tours, has proved to be very popular on previous holidays in Wengen, and we have put together a programme of guided walks that are guaranteed to be stunning. All walks are graded easy or moderate, and should be well within the capability of anyone who is reasonably fit. A particular feature of this programme is the extensive use that we make of the cog railway, gondolas and chair lifts in connection with the walking programme. Included in the price of the holiday is the Jungfraubahnen Pass which gives unrestricted use of these facilities.

Weather
The weather in the Alps in July should be warm and sunny - hot during the day, cooler at night time. However, as in most mountainous regions, the weather can be unpredictable and it is best to be prepared for all conditions!

Day 1 - Saturday 17th July 2011
On arrival at Wengen Station our luggage is transported by electric trolley while we walk the 5 minutes to the Sunstar Hotel. After dinner in the hotel you may like to join in the music and dancing as part of the Folklore Festival close to the hotel.

Day 2 - Sunday 18th July 2011 - Wengen, Festival and Mannlichen
Meet in the hotel lounge for an introduction to the walking programme by Urs, our Guide, before setting off for a morning walk within the area of Wengen and its surroundings, stopping for optional refreshments at Mary's Café, situated at the finishing area of the famous Lauberhorn World Cup downhill ski race. We then return to Wengen to watch the colourful Wengen Festival Procession, followed by a ride on the cable car to Mannlichen. Our second walk of the day is an easy downhill trail to Kleine Scheidegg for optional refreshments before taking the mountain railway back to Wengen. Walking time approx. 4 hours. Grade Easy. Evening Welcome Reception.

Day 3 - Monday 19th July 2011 - Winteregg, Blumental & Mürren
We take the mountain railway down to Lauterbrunnen to connect with the funicular railway system up to Grütschalp. We start our walk on a mountain path across Winteregg, Oberberg and Allmendhubel to the Blumental Valley, then via Schiltalp and Spielbodenalp to the delightful mountain village of Mürren. From here we catch the mountain railway system back to Wengen. Walking time approx. 5 hours. Grade Moderate.

Day 4 - Tuesday 20th July 2011 - Grindlewald, First, Bachalpsee, Waldspitz & Bort
Today we enjoy the cable car from Wengen to Männlichen, the gondola to Grund and the railway to Grindlewald. We walk through Grindewald to connect with another gondola to First. We then walk up to the picturesque Bachalpsee (lake) and then follow a mountain path along a ridgeline to Hireleni, where we descend to Bussalp for welcome refreshments in a mountain chalet. Expect fantastic panoramic views today (subject to good weather), including the Finsteraarhorn, which at 4274m is the highest mountain in the area. Return by bus from Bussalp to Grindewald and then by train to Wengen. Walking time approx. 5 hours. Grade Moderate.

Day 5 - Wednesday 21st July 2011 - Free Day
Some ideas for today include: lunch at the spectacular Schilthorn at an altitude of nearly 3,000m with a stunning 360° Alpine panorama from the world's first revolving mountain-top restaurant; a visit to Trummelbach Falls - an amazing glacier/waterfall actually inside the mountain with water draining from the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau; or try a Steamer trip on Lake Brienz for a relaxing day visiting Brienz, (famous for its wood-carving), with lunch at Giessbach Hotel. Another idea would be to use your Jungfraubahnen Pass and visit several valleys and villages by gondola and chair lift.

Day 6 - Thursday 22nd July 2011 - Jungfraujoch
Today we plan a unique and very special experience. We take the mountain railway via Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch (also known as "The Top of Europe" at 3454m) for a high altitude walk. After an optional coffee stop and a visit to the Spinx Observation Terrace, we then go on an unforgettable glacier trek to the Monchsjochhütte for an optional lunch in a mountain hut (3650m). We return along the same route with time allowed to go inside the glacier to visit the Ice Palace. We then catch the mountain railway back to Wengen via Kleine Scheidegg. Walking time approx. 3 hours. Grade Moderate.

After dinner, stroll across to the Wengen Folklore music evening which includes yodeling, dances, Swiss horns, local choirs and a cowbell band.

Day 7 - Friday 23rd July 2011 - Eiger Trail
We take the cog railway from Wengen to Kleine Scheidegg and then another cog railway to Alpiglen, which is the starting point for the famous Eiger Trail. Optional coffee stop at a mountain café before starting the fairly steep 800m uphill part of today's walk. This mountain path below the North Face of the Eiger provides dramatic views as it climbs to the Eiger Gletscher Station. We then descend on the glacier moraine path via Fallboden to Kleine Scheidegg, and return by cog railway to Wengen. Walking time approx. 5 hours. Grade Moderate but with 800m steep elevation.

Day 8 - Saturday 24th July 2011
Check out after breakfast. The hotel delivers our cases to the station for the return journey via Swiss Rail to Zurich and then flights to the UK.

Sunstar Hotel
We have selected the Sunstar, situated very conveniently right in the centre of Wengen, for the first-class quality of the hotel, its facilities, restaurant and service. All rooms have private facilities, radio, telephone, TV, mini-bar, safe and hairdryer.

Other features of the hotel include an excellent indoor swimming pool with large picture windows and direct access to the sun terrace and garden. It also has a sauna, The Rustic Lounge which has an open log fire, a cosy bar and a pianist, making it a popular meeting place after dinner. Meals include buffet breakfast and 4-course dinner.

Flights are with Swiss International from Manchester or British Airways from Heathrow. Please note that the following flight details are the latest known and are subject to confirmation. All times are local.

Swiss Railways
Rail travel from Zurich to Lauterbrunnen via Interlaken Ost (approx. 3 hours). Mountain railway from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen - 15 minutes. All times are local and are subject to confirmation. Swiss time is one hour ahead.